Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.1

An afternoon sip while thunderstorms roll through the mountains. Flavors of iodine, black currant, blackberry, and wet pavement sit silkily on the tongue. — 2 years ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.0

This Barbaresco was in lovely shape and perhaps(?) at its peak? All the tannins mellow and smooth, leather, dried flowers, strawberry jam, and a touch of raisins with still-bright acidity. — 2 years ago

with Paul

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.5

There are a few producers in the world about which I can say unequivocally that I adore every wine they make. Domaine Marcel Deiss is one of them. @domainemarceldeiss. I managed to get ahold of some older vintage wines recently and I’m trying very hard not to drink them too fast, but they’re just so darn good. Decided to open this one over dinner with friends last night and it was glorious. Crystallized honey, parchment, dried orange peels, and herbs, all welded to a core of crushed stone. Fantastic. This is a most unusual (though not for Deiss) field blend of Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Beurot, Muscat, and Pinot Noir. — 3 years ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.3

After several years of making brilliant Friuli-inspired wines in the Napa Valley, Dan Petroski of @massicanwinery decided to return to the source and begin making a wine from Friuli that he calls Gaspare. A blend of Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, and Chardonnay, the wine has everything you’d want in a complex white wine: richness without overbearing weight, brightness without shrillness, juiciness without sweetness, and gorgeous flavors of apple, citrus, chamomile, and a hint of wax. While there is Chardonnay planted in Friuli the addition of that grape has offers a wonderfully symbolic synthesis between Italy and California. — 3 years ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.0

Could this be the best $14 I’ve ever spent in wine? If not it certainly is a contender. I loved these wines when they were first made and a couple of years ago I stumbled across a bunch of older wines being sold at BottleBarn and had to snap them up. They age beautifully. This one I think is perhaps just slightly past it’s peak, but is utterly delicious with aromas of leather, smoked meats, and dried flowers, with flavors of red apple skin, red miso, earth, and leather mixed with a touch of dried citrus peel and dried cherries. Still excellent acidity and billowy velvet-soft tannins. I think we have @Cathy Corison to thank for this one, along with Fritz Maytag. — 2 years ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.3

Decided I needed a little Savoie with my dinner, which led me easily to @domainedechevillardsavoie. Apples and baked apple aromas give way to a lemon pith and crushed stone that has some butterscotch emerging along with candied grapefruit. Fantastic acidity, of course. What was liquid stone in its youth is gaining some richness as it ages. So goes Jacquere in its middle age. — 3 years ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.3

I say it’s the most beautiful vineyard in the world. But that wouldn’t mean nearly as much if the wines of @ripponvineyard weren’t as honest and soulful as they are. This wine (a press sample I’m nursing) is a baby yet, still waiting to unfold into its fullness. Nonetheless, it’s damn tasty in all of its raspberry, sour cherry, and pomegranate, green herbs and dried flowers brightness, with citrus peel in the finish. — 3 years ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.0

Been writing about Champagne this weekend and it just made me thirsty, so broke out a little esoterica for sun dinner. Made 100% from Pinot Meunier, this wine offered sappy, berry and crabapple flavors with a nice chalky underbelly. Delicious. — 2 years ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.4

I admit to a deeply abiding love for Etna Rosso. I’ve rarely met a Nerello Mascalese I didn’t like. But like doesn’t begin to describe my affection, nay, obsession with the single contrada wines of Passopisciaro. Guardiola stole then show last night with its usual forest berries filtered through pulverized rock and the scented with herbs and flowers. — 3 years ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

8.9

“It’s spring and the little goat-footed balloonMan whistles far and wee.” - ee cummings. Far and wee indeed, with crisp saline citrus brightness mellowing with age (this is 2018 vintage). This ain’t your mama’s Muscadet, but Melon de Bourgogne it is, indeed and quite ready to embrace your oysters if you care to share. But there’s also some luxurious lemon curd coming into play here that pleases the balloonMan. — 3 years ago